This invention relates in general to an electrical switch and in particular to those of a momentary toggle operated type.
In the past, various types of momentary toggle operated electrical switches have been employed in apparatus, such as a clothes dryer for instance, to initiate the operation thereof. Generally, momentary toggle operated switches were connected in a motor starting circuit for an electric motor, such as that which might be utilized to drive a clothes dryer, and the momentary toggle switch was manually or selectively momentarily operated to initiate the starting cycle of the electric motor. Upon the energization of the electric motor, the toggle switch could be released since, once started, the electric motor would continue to run.
In some of the past momentary toggle operated electrical switches, a torsion return spring was mounted on the pivot pin about which the toggle was pivoted, and the torsion spring had opposite arms which were loaded upon pivotal movements of the toggle to effect the return thereof to its original or centered position. One of the disadvantageous or undesirable features of this type of past switch was that the return spring thereof created relatively high frictions which affected the toggling action.
In another of the past momentary toggle operated electrical switches, a horseshoe or generally U-shaped spring was employed to resiliently return the toggle to its mid-position upon the pivotal movement thereof to operate the electrical switch. One of the disadvantageous or undesirable features of this type of past switch was that it was necessary to fixedly mount the horseshoe shaped return spring to the switch body which deleteriously affected the cost thereof.
In another of the past momentary toggle operated electrical switches, the toggle was operable against a pair of oppositely acting switch blades having contacts thereon for engagement with stationary contacts within the switch body, and the resilient switch blades were respectively operable to return the toggle to its normal mid-position in the switch body. One of the disadvantageous features of this type of past switch was that the switch blades were a part of an electrical circuit which, in effect, dictated the size of the switch blades for its current carrying capacity.
In yet another past toggle operated electrical switch, a pair of leaf type springs each acted on the toggle to maintain it in one of its opposite displaced positions; however, one of the disadvantageous or undesirable features of this type of past switch was that it involved rather high frictions to maintain the toggle in its displaced position. Additionally there was no return of the toggle to a preselected position.